"These documentary selections are intended to provide a generous sampling from the major political controversies in American history. I hope that the general introductions, together with the headnotes supplied for each selection, will serve to set the documents in their historical context in such a way as to make it possible for a reader with a... more » modest knowledge of American history to read them profitably and without further supplement.... Almost everything in these volumes can be described as argumentative. These documents reproduce the words of major actors of American political history - whether judges, statesmen, legislative bodies, or private individuals of influence - engaged in debating issues of central importance." from the Editor's Preface« less